Works, Chapter 5 – Chapter 6
CHAP. V. Deſcribing ſome means to attain this Wiſdome.
Means of ſpiritual Wiſdome. 1 Acquaintance with the Scriptures.NOw before we paſs this point, it ſhall not be amiſs to direct the Reader by the way to ſome means to attain this wiſdome, to walk exactly; as, 1. A diligent and frequent uſe and acquaintance in the word of God, as men become wiſe Politicians by often uſing the book of S…atutes. This Law of God, hath Gods wiſdome contained in it, and makes us truly wiſe for the matter and meaſure, as God would have us. Hence the holy Ghoſt every where calls fooliſh men to give ear to underſtanding, and to hear the words of Wiſdome, Prov. 8.5, 6. and verſe 33. Hear inſtruction, and be wiſe. Neither muſt we hear till we get a ſmattering knowledge of ſome general grounds of Religion, in which moſt reſt themſelves; but to underſtand the whole will of God, which is our rule; and not onelyonly to underſtand it, Pſal. 119.115.but to apply it to our ſeveral occaſions, that it may not onelyonly be light in it ſelf, but a Lanthorn to our feet, and that in all our ſteps. This is the high priviledge of the Scripture above all writings, that theſe alone are able to make men wiſe to ſalvation, 2 Tim. 3.15. Moſt men read humane Hiſtories, mens ſayings, and writings, politick Eſſaies and obſervations of prudent men; and this furniſheth them with ſome model of humane and earthly wiſdome; but onelyonly the wiſdome of Gods word, can make us truly wiſe to ſalvation, without which all the wiſeſt Gentiles, profeſſing wiſdome, foreignand abounding in moralities, proved ſtark fools, Rom. 1.22. Caſt Gods book of wiſdome aſide, thou ſhalt prove a fool in the end.
2. Meditation of that a man hears and reads; for to be wiſe, 2 Meditation.we muſt not onelyonly receive the ingrafted word, Jam. 1.…1. but keep it, Luke 12.28. Bleſſed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it. Now an eſpecial way to keep the word, is meditation, which digeſts it into the ſeveral parts. Mary heard the ſayings of Chriſt, and pondered them in her heart. And David uſed this means to become wiſe; yea, by conſtant meditation in the Teſtimonies of God, he profeſſeth how he became wiſer than the prudent, than his teachers, than his ancients, than his enemies, Pſal. 119.97, 98, 99, 100. And the reaſon why many hear a long time, and are never the wiſer, is, becauſe they never care to faſten it by meditation, and make it their own; but wiſe men will lay up knowledge, Prov. 10.14.
3. A loving and thankfull imbracing of admonition and rebuke, 3. Embracing of admonition.Prov. 9.8, 9. Rebuke a wiſe man, and he will love thee; give admonition to the wiſe, and he will be the wiſer; teach a righteous man, and he will increaſe in learning: But rebuke a Scorner, and he will hate thee, and fools ſcorn admonition. And therefore we are commanded not to ſpeak in the ears of a fool, for he deſpiſeth the wiſdome of our words, Prov. 23.9. The way for a man to grow wiſe, is, daily to diſcover his own folly, and make uſe of their words, who would help him in this buſineſs. Thus David grew ſenſibly wiſer by the reproof of Nathan, when he made him confeſs he had done very fooliſhly. 2. Sam. 12.This is Chriſtian teachableneſs, when a man is apt to receive a reproof.
4. Frequent the company of godly and wiſe men; 4. Company of the wiſe. foreign. Theog.for he that walks with the wiſe, ſhall be wiſe, Prov. 13.20. and 9.6. Forſake the fooliſh, and walk in the way of wiſdome. In the company of the wiſe a man may be ſure to do good, or take good; The lips of the righteous feed many; he will ſpeak out of a good ſtore-houſe: he will deal faithfully with his brother, to help his ſoul out of ſin, his name from infamy, his perſon from ſcandal. Beſides, he ſhall be reſolved in doubts, incouraged in well-doing, and directed by ſuch both by good inſtruction and good example.
5. Be fervent in prayer; It is a ſpiritual wiſdome, and a gift of the Spirit; therefore if any man lack wiſdom, let him ask it of God, Jam. 1.5. It is wiſdome from above, Jam. 3.17. This wiſdome is not the birth and iſſue of great wits, and quick conceits, but is ſeated in the heart that is humble, and in ſanctified ſouls, that are familiar with God, and frequent in prayer. For as Moſes when he was long in the Mount with God, his face ſhined when he came down; So thoſe that continue in the Mount of Divine Meditations, and petitions, ſhall ſhine in wiſdome and knowledge. How, or whence got Solomon all that meaſure of Wiſdome (in which hee was an eminent Type of Jeſus Chriſt, in whom were hid treaſures of Wiſdome) but becauſe hee asked it of God as his chief choiſe? And David in the 119. Pſalm makes no end of begging wiſdome, underſtanding, good judgement from God; becauſe hee knew there was the Fountain.
Theſe are the means that are ſet apart by God, for the attaining of Wiſdome. If wee fail in them, let us blame ourſelves, if folly eat us up.
CHAP. VI. Loading into the particular Rules of Chriſtian Wiſdome, with the general diſtribution of them.
BEcauſe this Wiſdome is not a contemplative, but an active knowledge, wee muſt acquaint our ſelves with the precepts of it, to guide us to this exact walking, that the whole man may bee led by the rules of Chriſtian Prudence in all things. …his is that which the Apoſtle prayeth for the Coloſſians, Chap. 1. verſe 9. That they might bee filled with the knowledge of his will, and all wiſdome in all things, to walk worthy of the Lord, and pleaſe him in all things. And becauſe knowledge is of generals, and wiſdome of particulars; therefore for our better direction, let us here conſider ſome particular rules of Spiritual Wiſdome grounded in Gods Word; which bee muſt bee carefull of, that would walk not as unwiſe, but as wiſe, according to this Apoſtolical counſel.
Rules of Wiſdome concern
1 God, and the things of God.
2 Man
himſelf, in his
Inner man,
1 Mind.
2 Thoughts.
3, Will.
4 Conſcience.
5 Affections.
Outward man in his
1 Calling.
2 Eſtate, of
Proſperity.
Adverſity.
3 Speeches.
4 Actions in
General, for
Trial.
Undertaking
Special, of
1 Mercy.
Juſtice.
Neceſſity.
2
Others in
1 General, toward all.
… Indifferency in
General.
Special, for
Meats.
Sports.
Apparel.
2 Special, towards
1 Good men,
2 Evil men, in
1 General.
2 Special.
1 Scorners.
2 Haters of our ſelves.